Korean giant Hyundai — the fifth biggest car making group in the world after Volkswagen, Toyota, Renault-Nissan and General Motors — has finally launched its first ever performance hatchback at a press event in Germany.

The new Hyundai i30 N introduces the company’s N badge to the consumers, which denotes the car’s born in Namyang, Korea, where the group’s global R&D centre is, and honed at the Nürburgring Nordschleife 20km-long race track in Germany.

Albert Biermann, who joined Hyundai N from heading BMW’s hallowed M division, said at the press launch: “The Hyundai N will deliver the pleasure of driving with performance-orientated cars. They’re just the start of what we know, and it will be a fast and exhilarating journey.

A six-speed manual transmission and 18-inch wheels are standard – 19-inch wheels are optionally available, but there is no automatic on offer at launch

‘We opened a whole new chapter in the history of Hyundai,” he added.

Although the car’s been teased by Hyundai leading up to this official public debut, now we know the real details. Prices for the i30 N at launch when the car debuts in the European market will start from around the AED130,000 mark which pegs the car squarely up against the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Focus RS.

Drivers get five different driving modes, an electric steering assist system, and an electronic sound generator producing fake engine noises from the base of the windscreen

With a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine the i30 N produces 275 horsepower and 353Nm of torque for 0-100kph times in a claimed 6.4-seconds and a top speed limited to 250kph. The car will come standard with a 5.0-inch touchscreen featuringApple CarPlay and Android Auto, or an optional 8.0-inch unit, as well as a host of safety kit on-board.

Speaking of the i30 N’s Nürburgring development Biermann explained the N team focussed on the “grins – it’s all about the grins…” Rather than going for an outright flying lap time the i30 N aims to thrill the driver.

“For the i30 N, the Nürburgring is like a daily commute,” said Biermann. “It’s challenging all other high-performance vehicles on the market today,” he added.

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